Hyuga Neji's Love Poem
by Asami01
Summary: Being urged by a certain comrade of the Hidden Leaf, Hyuga Neji shares his feelings on being in love. He may not enjoy it(or so he says), but he doesn't have much of a choice. Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Naruto universe.
1. Reluctant Introduction

This isn't something I'm accustomed to...

Nevertheless, I guess I shall give this a try

I was urged by a comrade of mine

To write of our feelings... ahem, she and I

* * *

I'm Hyuga Neji, of the Hyuga clan

Labeled a genius from my youth

Paired with two teammates; their abilities lesser than my own

One a Kunoichi, the other... uncouth

* * *

Love was never a thought to me as I grew up

Softer feelings had long since gone away

I was perfectly fine being as serious as I was

I was content in myself... until that day

* * *

It is a day I care not to speak about

But of this, I'm not being given a choice

She's forcing me to put ink to the scroll

If I don't, she'll not cease her dissatisfied voice

* * *

And so I share how I, Hyuga Neji

Have come to having feelings of what I perceive to be _love_

Feelings I once thought were for a lesser mind

Feelings I once happily snubbed

* * *

_-Hyuga Neji, Shinobi of Konohagakure_


	2. How It All Began

It all began as a day of training

With Lee, Tenten, and of course, myself

Tenten seemed to be trying to prove a point

With skills inferior to my own, I can't imagine how she felt

* * *

After making it clear why _I_ was a Jounin

We all decided to take a break

Tenten, again, questioned why I was so serious

I gave in to answering, for my sanity's sake

* * *

She gave me a challenge from that point on

She said I'd probably fail the very first day

I called "nonsense" on her attempts to sway me

I would not be apart of this silly game she wanted to play

* * *

Yet still, somehow, I found myself apart

After her continuous reasoning on why it should be so

For one week, I was told, I had to be a "Nicer Neji"

And from that point on, my days would know only woe


	3. The First Day

I knew I would succeed, even if I didn't want

I was a genius, after all, and would not be put to shame

"Fine, Tenten." I told her. "I'll take on your little bet."

"And in the end, you'll wish you hadn't challenged me to this game."

* * *

The first day was madness, after she told everyone

All my comrades seemed to want was to rub it in my face

Of course, Naruto was the worst, when it came to them all

But telling him off, at the time, was not my place

* * *

Lady Hinata was kind, just as any would expect

And Tenten was enjoying it all too much

I managed to hold back from speaking all my thoughts

Saying, "You're all ... something else." Without making a fuss.

* * *

"Oh I know!" Tenten said, as we talked in private.

"How's about we go on a date?" To which I promptly declined.

She then reminded me my response was of the "Old Neji"

And she asked me what I'd say to her offer being "Kind".

* * *

"All right, fine, Tenten. Let's do just that."

I told her as I slightly bit down on my tongue

"But this had better be a secret from all of our friends."

"I refuse to tolerate mocking from a single one."


	4. The Date

While on our little date, which I hoped would soon end

Tenten kept giving me a look I was unfamiliar with

"Is there something wrong, Tenten?" I asked, hoping she'd cease

I wasn't enjoying such attention, not one bit

* * *

"It's nice, don't you think?" Tenten asked me with a smile

Though I wasn't exactly sure what it was she meant

"I wish I could have asked you sooner." She said seemingly saddened.

I then realized she was speaking of the time we'd spent.

* * *

I wasn't really expecting any of this from her

Though she was my teammate, and I thought I knew her well

"She'd been all that time waiting to ask me on a date?"

In any case, I wasn't about to be put under some love spell

* * *

"Any sooner than this, I would have declined."

I looked Tenten in the eyes, as I told her quite succinctly

But when she didn't change her mood, I tried being "nicer"

Totally putting aside what my "old self' would think of me

* * *

"Cheer up, Tenten. We're here now. So let's just enjoy it."

I spoke hoping she'd finally break from her gloomy mood

"Thanks Neji, you're right." She finally said cheerfully

And I oddly felt much better, just by her change of attitude


	5. The Question

As our date came to end, and relief over took me

Tenten asked me a question, straight out of the blue

"What do you think of me, Neji?" Her eyes wide upon me.

For a moment, as it struck, I didn't have a clue

* * *

"What... do I think?" I thought to myself

And I tried to give her the best answer that I could

"I think you're _Tenten_ ..." I stated like an imbecile

By her unamused look, I could tell, that wasn't good

* * *

"Very funny, Neji, but I was being serious."

She told me, expecting a better answer than that

Strike two came for me, when I said, "So was I."

I could feel as Tenten got ready to attack

* * *

I quickly reset myself, by thinking up something clever

"What other girl is as skilled and as friendly as you?"

She gave a look of puzzlement, as I continued on

"And what kunoichi could handle themselves, the way that you do?

* * *

"You're collected in battle, and even on days off,"

"You show just how truly put together you are."

"You put up with the antics of Lee and our Sensei,"

"And in sparring with me, you've come very far."

* * *

As I ended my words, Tenten looked on toward me

I could swear I saw her blush, as she then looked toward the ground

For some reason, I spoke those words, and couldn't explain why

And for some other reason, at that moment, I could feel my heart pound


	6. The Denial

My trying to rest, having completed "the date"

Proved futile that night, as I tossed and turned

Why couldn't I get it off my mind?

Why did it feel, inside, as though I yearned?

* * *

"It's only just Tenten," I said under my breath

"She's but a friend, one I've known since very young"

But on our date, she felt like more than that

"She felt like a song of the heart that had need to be sung"

* * *

"What is this nonsense I speak!" I gathered my thoughts

"It's nothing more than a feeling that'll soon go away"

But the next time I saw her, I tried to avoid her

Because the feeling I had, stayed the entire day

* * *

"Why am I acting so nervous? I know Tenten well enough"

"And I won't be caught up in foolish feelings such as this"

But those words proved meaningless, when again she and I met

They proved meaningless entirely just because of... that kiss


	7. The Second Date

"Hey Neji!" Tenten called, as I tried to slip away

"Our date, it was nice, and I really had fun"

"That's wonderful, Tenten, I'm happy that you did"

"It was enjoyable for me, so you weren't the only one"

* * *

Tenten gave me a look, one of surprise

I guess she really had not expected me to agree

I believe she truly felt I'd fail her little challenge

And after all, none of what I spoke was truly like... me

* * *

"I'm happy to hear that, maybe we can go out again"

She gave a sweet expression, as though I'd quickly accept

"Maybe, but I'm busy, so it can't be assured"

I gave a kind expression, before I turned and left

* * *

It wasn't really that I was busy, I was just put off

By my own foolish actions, causing me pain at my core

Before I walked away completely, I turned to look back

I needed to see if she was still there, to see her face once more

* * *

She stood looking at me, to my own surprise

So instead, I decided I'd quickly take the chance

"You know, Tenten, maybe tonight we can call it a date?"

And I couldn't believe I was actually giving into _romance_


	8. The Second Date(continued)

So there we were, on a date, one I had initiated

Not saying one word as we sat in the grass

Beneath the starry sky, she and I took the night in

Though everything felt slow, my heart beat felt quite fast

* * *

Tenten pushed nearer to me, which caused me to look away

I couldn't have her thinking her move was something I embraced

As much as I told myself that this was the reason I did so

It was really so she couldn't see the redness of my face

* * *

"Sitting a bit close", I told her in matter of fact tone

She proceeded to grab my arm, and made a move to hold my hand

_"I couldn't, she wouldn't!"_, my thoughts were yelling out

At that point, I then knew, it was time to take a stand

* * *

"Tenten, _ahem,_ what _exactly_ are you doing?"

"Holding your hand, silly", she said without a care

"But for what reason?" I tried to understand her

And as we sat, she stunned me with a soft and alluring stare

* * *

"T-Tenten...?" I somewhat stuttered, almost trapped in her eyes

"Why are you giving me that look? Is there something... I did wrong?"

She began to lean forward, as I slightly backed away

The tension was heavy, and it seemed that passion... was going strong


	9. The Kiss

Before another word was uttered from my very own mouth

Tenten's lips had reached mine, and they were quite soft

I was at a loss for words, seeing that my lips were locked

And my thoughts began to escape me, as they all were gone aloft

* * *

I didn't know how long it was, and at the moment I didn't care

I didn't push her away, but instead I pulled her close

Everything felt right, like a fantasy in perfect structure

Though it was nothing I dreamed of, nothing I hoped

* * *

It was far better than that, as I was entranced in the kiss

I didn't understand why I had waited so long

To be there in that moment, being with Tenten

I didn't know how I could've ever thought it to be wrong


	10. The Rejection

With a sudden realization, I came to my senses

What was I doing, what had I done

Tenten and I were nothing more than comrades

Any romance between us was summed up to none

* * *

"I have to go", I pushed her away

She seemed stunned, like I ruined the night

I got up to leave as she looked on

"Neji", she uttered, "Is everything alright?"

* * *

"Just forget this happened", I told her outright

I wouldn't look in her direction on the grass

For awhile it seemed she gave me what I wanted

Since the last we talked, many weeks had passed


End file.
